Player piano



Sept. 14 1926.

- 1,599,522 A. G. GULBRANSEN PLMER 1 1w) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original il J n a, 1915 Y @rmnw CZ/xeZ/ C (jlxlbzimacn/ J3 -AZL Sept. 14 ,1926. 1,599,522

" V A. G. GULBRA'NSEN PLAYER PIANO Original. Filed 3 3, 1915 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 GUM/01530; @1461/ G. Cgzlbmflsen Patented Sept. 14, 1926.

PATENT OFFICE.

UNITED STATES AXEL G. GULBRANSILN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 GULBRANSEN COM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,

A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

PLAYER PIANO.

Original application filed June 3, 1915, Serial No. 31,815, Patent No. 1,349,273 dated August 10 1920.

Divided and this application filed August 9, 1920. Serial No. 402,259.

My invention relatesto automatically operated musical instruments and has to do particularly with what are known as player pianos or piano players. It will be obvious that the device of my invention may be aplied to organs as well as pianos and, in act, to any musical instrument or other device operated in an analogous way. It will be understood that my invention is con cerned with what has become known as the actionthat is, the operating means and need not, therefore, be limited to its application to any particular instrument.

This is divisional of my prior application, Serial No. 31,815, filed June 3, 1915, Patent Number 1,349,273.

In order to simplify this description I shall explain my invention and apply it to a player piano, particularly since some of the more limited features are really limited to a player piano and since, in general, the advantages which my invention secure are most pronounced in its application to such a structure.

As before indicated, my invention has particularly to do with the action, which term has become used in the art to signify the structure comprising the playing unit and the immediately associated parts. My invention has to do with that class of autoy matic instruments which is operated pneumatically and therefore these operating units or devices will be seen to be in the form of small bellowscommonly known as Pneumatics. One of these pneumatics is provided for each note on the piano to be struck andmy invention is concerned with the construction of the pneumatics, and particularly the valve mechanism therefor.

A more concrete understanding of my in vention may be obtained from the following description and the appended claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure l is a front elevational view of a iano, portions thereof being in section and broken away to more conveniently illustrate the invention;

Figure 2 is atransverse sectional view of the same, this figure being enlarged;

Figure 3 is a more or less diagrammatic side View of the arrangement shown in Figure 2; I

Figure 4 is a detail view of the folding bracket for the roll box; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

Referring in detail to the figures of the drawing, it will be seen that the piano case is shown at 7, the key bed of the piano being shown at 8 and side pieces being provided at 9. 9. The action of my invenmits of it being so mounted that the keys K can be removed without removing the action. This will be clear from an inspection of Figure 2 wherein it is obvious that the height at which the action is supported, which height is not undesirable, permits of the key being tilted to such an angle as tobe removable from its supporting pin 8 for the purpose of extraction from the piano.

Hinged to the top of the channel board 10 by means of the hinges 12, 12, is a bracket board 13, the nature of which is more clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. The bracket board 13 carries the roll box 14 in which the rolls 15 and 16 and the tracker board 17 are provided. The rolls are operated by means of pneumatic motor 18, the. details of which Iam not concerned with here. In order to simplify this description and illustration, I have shown the motor and the roll box arrangement in a most general way. It will be sufficient to point out that the tracker board 17 is connected with the action in a manner to be described presently.

A metal bracket 19 is secured to the back of the channel board and extends upwardly to engage the bracket board 13, one of these metal brackets being provided at each end of the channel board. The end of the bracket 19 is provided with a screw 20 upon which a thumb-nut 21 is screwed and it will be seen that this arrangement locks the bracket board 13 in positive position relative to the channel board. When the thumbnuts 21 are loosened, the roll box and the motor support, which is also mounted upon the bracket 13, may be swung forward V the position shown in Figure :2. A linkage arrangement, comprising the links 22, :32 and 22 pivoted together at p, p, is connected between the back board of the piano and the roll box so that the roll box may be positively supported in either its inner or outer position, its inner position being the normal position and its outer position being that which aliords a Jews to the mechanism behind the roll box. The llDlIS are pivoted to the back board at 23 and to the roll box at 23 Fi ure l shows the linkage in plan, 011% Of the lifllIs ining rovided with a foot 2 abutting the baclr board.

t is obvious from the foregoing description and the accompanying drawings that when installed in a player piano, the action mechanism of my invention possesses the ad vantageous feature of being so arranged as to permit of ready removal oi the action, and when it is not desired to remove the action, it is possible to swing; the roll box outwardly so as to permit of access to the rear of the roll box without taking" the rear wall out of the piano. It is a comparatively simple matter to renew the keys when desired and when the roll box is swung back into normal position, it is rigidly supported by means of the thumb screw 21 and the toldable bracket member. A wing nut 24- is screwed to the pivot member to which the link 22' is connected, said wing nut being adapted to engage the foot piece 23 when the box is swung into upright position. This is thus shown in Figures l and I reserve the right to make such changes in my invention as do not depart from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim 1. In combination, a piano case. a player action mounted therein, a roll box hinged to the body of said action. and extensible means connecting the top o'l said box with said case, said means forming; a positive su ng-art for the roll box in either its inner or outer p ositions.

2. In combination, a piano case. a player action mounted therein, a supporting board hinged to said action, a roll box mounted on said board, a motor mounted on said board, and collapsible means connecting the swinging structure to the piano case.

3. In combination, a piano case, a player action mounted therein, a supporting board hinged to said. action, a roll box mounted on said board, a motor mounted on said board, collapsible means connecting the swinging structure to the piano case and means for locking the swinging structure in its normal position.

4'. In combination, a piano case, a player action mounted therein, a roll box hinged to the body of said action, a collapsible linl-zage connecting the top oi said box with said ease, means for locking said linkage, and means for positively retaining said box in the upright position.

In combination, a piano case, a player action mounted therein, a supporting board hinged to said action, a roll box mounted on said board, a motor mounted on said board, collapsible means connecting the swinging structure to the piano case, means for lockin o the swinging structure in its normal position of use, and means for adiilitionally positively retaining said swinging structure in said position.

6. In comliiination, a piano ease having a liev bed, an action mounted stationary above said bed, a roll box pivotally mounted on said action, and two independent means for holding said roll box in normal position of use.

7. In combination, a piano case having a key bed, an action removably mounted stationary above said bed, a roll box pivotally mounted on said action, and two independent means for holding said roll box in normal position of use.

8. In combination, a piano case having a ey bed, an action removablv mounted stationary above said bed, a roll box pivotally mounted on said action, and two independent means for holding said roll box in normal position of use, one holding means re maining at all times connected to said roll box to limit its pivotal movement.

In witness whereof I hereunto subscribe my name this 7th day of August, 1920.

AXEL Gr. GULBRANSEN. 

